Stopped for Wheelie

[subsonic]

While I agree with this statement, I do not agree with doing a wheelie on a public street is necessarily reckless behavior. It may be perfectly safe (although SHOWY) on a public street with no traffic, pedstrians or parked vehicles within a block or two, for example.

Driving 120mph on I-10 is not necessarily reckless, depending on traffic, weather and other road conditions. However, you can reasonably expect to be cited if the police see you driving that speed. If the DA prosecutes, you will have the opportunity to try to convince a jury you weren't reckless.

[killerfly128]

What really annoys me most is the ones who pops a wheelie on the highway when they are surrounded by cars.

you and i agree there ... its normally the unskilled guys that do it in traffic. But there are some skilled guys out there that do ride the streets, only about 5-10 of them though.

[iratollah]

Every time I ride, I will run the bike up to 100mph, if only for a brief moment. It's just something I've been doing for years. Now I do have a method to my madness and don't do this without a plan or awareness of the road, conditions, etc. I can bring it up to that speed and back down again in about 1/4 mile or so. I've been riding high performance bikes since 1975. And before I get back into the garage, I will have found someplace I can run it up to the ton or else my ride doesn't feel complete.

Reckless? Less so than texting while driving, drinking while hunting or saying hold my beer and watch this. And I've never really ridden more than 100mph...over the speed limit. Texas has the best highway system in the country.

[LarryH]

While I agree with this statement, I do not agree with doing a wheelie on a public street is necessarily reckless behavior. It may be perfectly safe (although SHOWY) on a public street with no traffic, pedstrians or parked vehicles within a block or two, for example.

Driving 120mph on I-10 is not necessarily reckless, depending on traffic, weather and other road conditions. However, you can reasonably expect to be cited if the police see you driving that speed. If the DA prosecutes, you will have the opportunity to try to convince a jury you weren't reckless.

There is a HUGE difference between popping a wheelie and driving 50 mph over the speed limit. Your comparison of the two is disingenuous, at best.

[killerfly128]

I've never really ridden more than 100mph...over the speed limit.

hahaha thats it?

i can safely say i have done over 120 ..... over the the speed limit. But this was done late at night on a VERY open stretch of road with a few buddys hanging WAY back.

ETA: this was not one of my prouder moments, ill be the first to admit it wasnt the smartest. But i did it and survived.

[killerfly128]

While I agree with this statement, I do not agree with doing a wheelie on a public street is necessarily reckless behavior. It may be perfectly safe (although SHOWY) on a public street with no traffic, pedstrians or parked vehicles within a block or two, for example.

Driving 120mph on I-10 is not necessarily reckless, depending on traffic, weather and other road conditions. However, you can reasonably expect to be cited if the police see you driving that speed. If the DA prosecutes, you will have the opportunity to try to convince a jury you weren't reckless.

There is a HUGE difference between popping a wheelie and driving 50 mph over the speed limit. Your comparison of the two is disingenuous, at best.

depends on the car and the driver first ... second In a typical car with a typical texas driver i agree with you whole heartily.

[boomerang]

It depends on the rider too. If we're going to use the typical driver as the car comparison, why not use the typical middle aged hog rider or typical teen squid as the bike comparison?

[Wildscar]

[

I love when bikes do endo's on the street; that way I can inch my car hood right up under their back wheel. Makes them think about doing it a second time in traffic.

You do realize that you would be the one at fault in that encounter.

I was just kidding of course. I probably would be considered at fault, but it might be hard for the rider to explain why his wheel came 'down' on my hood.

Riders Response. "Officer I thought a car was going to pull out in front of me sio I had to stop quickly. It was not my intention to allow my wheel to come off the ground. It scared the heck out of me."

Sound like a good enough excuse to me.

[iratollah]

i can safely say i have done over 120 ..... over the the speed limit.

You can say a lot of things, but the inherent 10+% error in the speedo on your Busa or Gixxer means that you didn't go over 300kph. Go watch the Texas Mile sometime where they have real timing traps. Pay attention to how heavily modded the bikes there are and then notice how very few even come close to the two ton barrier.

[srothstein]

Riders Response. "Officer I thought a car was going to pull out in front of me sio I had to stop quickly. It was not my intention to allow my wheel to come off the ground. It scared the heck out of me."

Sound like a good enough excuse to me.

Instead of another car, might a suggest the police typical phantom dog? Almost evry officer has handled an accident (or had one) that was caused by a dog running out into traffic. And the dog is never around when the responding units get there to investigate, leading to the appellation phantom.

[killerfly128]

i can safely say i have done over 120 ..... over the the speed limit.

You can say a lot of things, but the inherent 10+% error in the speedo on your Busa or Gixxer means that you didn't go over 300kph. Go watch the Texas Mile sometime where they have real timing traps. Pay attention to how heavily modded the bikes there are and then notice how very few even come close to the two ton barrier.

did i say it was on a bike? Although i have topped out my old 636 right about 160-170 MPH



Long story on how i got to drive it at that speed (180+), but i will say it was super fun. I will also say it is a car that wont be sad to never drive again.

[killerfly128]

It depends on the rider too. If we're going to use the typical driver as the car comparison, why not use the typical middle aged hog rider or typical teen squid as the bike comparison?

Touche .... but most sport bike riders are in the 20-30 year range from what i can see.

[starrbuck]

Here is my opinion on it:
As a rider, I am really against doing any type of stunting on a public street, IF there are other cars around.

Sorry, but there may be cars (or pedestrians, children, etc.) around that you didn't notice. The thing was designed to have both wheels on the pavement. No matter how good a rider you are, you can't be as much in control of it with only one tire contacting the road. Common sense tells you it's less safe.

[Fangs]

Driving 120mph on I-10 is not necessarily reckless, depending on traffic, weather and other road conditions. However, you can reasonably expect to be cited if the police see you driving that speed. If the DA prosecutes, you will have the opportunity to try to convince a jury you weren't reckless.

I personally got a ticket (while stopped at a gas station) for 115mph on I-10 coming back from Houston. It was within 48 hours of buying my '06 Pontiac GTO and there wasn't a lot of traffic on the road. I saw the State Trooper when he passed me and since he didn't show any signs of having noticed me I slowed down and then stopped for gas since my tank was almost dry. 10 minutes later he rolled up and wrote me the ticket, after I clarified that I hadn't stolen the car (had put it on my insurance immediately, title was still in previous owner's name). Needless to say I put away my phone with this pic that I was texting to my friends:

Granted, it's in kph, but still looks cool. Anyway, he told me he could have taken me to jail, I said thanks for him not doing so, and then I drove the speed limit the rest of the way home. Oh, I also called the judge's office and told them about how a Trooper pulled up behind me at a gas station and threatened to take me to jail even though my receipt shows that I was there for 10 minutes before the ticket. Since he was obviously mistaken I got deferred adjudication.

But back to bikes, I've had an R6 and a ZX-6R at seperate times so far, with no wrecks and just a couple close calls. Keeping a 5-10mph lead over traffic seems to be the only way to not get run over by people changing lanes into you (In Austin at least). I didn't get into stunting on either of my bikes before selling them simply because I didn't have the money to fix them if they got dropped. But I did make it from Grapevine to Wimberley in just over two hours once.


2006 6.0 LS2 GTO, 6-Speed Manual Transmission


2006 ZX-6R (636)

It's a little reassuring that I'm not the only one who enjoys things that will do over 150mph, but I have wondered how that effects the "is of sound mind" requirement...

[KBCraig]

Regarding the threat that "I could take you to jail!", it's a bit hollow since he can always take you to jail, with the exception of two violations.

Quick, what are they?